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The 'invaluable art' of swimming in the River Derwent and Hobart's many swimming pools, 1803-1998

journal contribution
posted on 2023-05-21, 19:07 authored by Leonie Mickleborough
In the United Kingdom during the eighteenth century, swimming was popular in the sea, rivers, lakes and streams. For women who wished to swim, modesty ruled. Their bathing gown was a loose, ankle-length full-sleeved chemise-type gown made of wool or flannel. Men swam either nude - until 1860 when it was banned- or wore their underwear, but by the 1870s it was common for men to wear 'very short red and white striped drawers'. In the early nineteenth century, at which time Hobart Town's early residents enjoyed swimming, women usually wore a gown from shoulder to knees and trousers to the ankles, while the men's suit was a rather form-fitting woollen garment with long sleeves and legs similar to long underwear.

History

Publication title

Tasmanian Historical Research Association Papers and Proceedings

Volume

64

Pagination

56-74

ISSN

0039-9809

Department/School

Student Systems and Administration

Publisher

Tasmanian Historical Research Association

Place of publication

Hobart, Tasmania

Repository Status

  • Restricted

Socio-economic Objectives

Understanding Australia’s past

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